Mirror Damper

ABSTRACT

A damper is provided for a rear view mirror with motorised actuation. A damper is provided between the mirror and its frame assembly for the purpose of shock absorption or vibration reduction. Each damper comprises a bracket and a boss. A polymer contact material such as an O-ring  24  is mounted onto the free end of the bracket and contacts the boss. The frictional and elastic properties etc. of the contact material determine the damping and frictional characteristics of the movement of the mirror with respect to the boss.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present technology relates to dampers, in particular, mirror dampersfor vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mirrors, such as adjustable and motorised or manual side view mirrors orrear view mirrors, are fitted on motor vehicles so that drivers canperform safety checks while driving. Some of these mirrors may beelectrically powered and controlled. The mirrors may vibrate when thevehicle to which they are attached is in motion. The vibration may causepoor visibility for the driver, a loosening and also the gradual wearingout of the parts used for the mirrors, for example those used to supportthe mirrors on the vehicle or those used to power or control electricmirrors. Minimization of the vibration is desirable and, inter alia,helps mechanically protect various components used for the mirrors.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to minimize vibration in amirror mounted on an automobile.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a damper for amirror.

In some embodiments it is an object of the present invention to providea mirror damper that has an adjustable spring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

In order that the invention be better understood, reference is now madeto the following drawing figures in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a mirror that has a mirrordamper;

FIG. 2 is a cross section view of the mirror where the damper isvisible;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the damper, where the spring is ina first position; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing damper with the spring in thesecond position.

BEST MODE AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS

The present technology is a modification to the rear view mirrordescribed in the Applicant's Australian application No. 2007904749,incorporated herein by reference.

As shown in FIG. 1, a rear view mirror with motorised (or manual)actuation 10 comprises a mirror assembly 11 that is mounted onto a frameassembly 12. The mirror assembly may comprise a backing for the mirroretc. The frame assembly comprises all of the parts of the rear viewmirror except for the mirror assembly. A damper 13 is provided betweenthe mirror 11 and the frame assembly 12 for the purpose of shockabsorption or vibration reduction. In the embodiment shown, there is onedamper 13 on each side of (or above and below) the actuator 14 for themirror 11. Each damper 13 comprises a bracket 15, one end of which is anoptional mounting portion 16 where the bracket 15 is mounted onto or inmechanical communication with a back side of the mirror 11.Alternatively the bracket 15 can be integral with a backing element ofthe mirror and thus lack a distinct mounting portion 16. From thismounting portion 16 or base area or base of the bracket (or otherwise),an upright member or beam 17 extends away from the mirror 11. Theupright member 17 and the mounting portion 16 may be perpendicular toeach other. The upright member 17 extends toward a free end 18 of thebracket 15. A rubber contact material such as an O-ring 24 is mountedonto the free end 18. The frictional and elastic properties etc. of thecontact material determine the damping and frictional characteristics ofthe movement of the mirror with respect to the boss 22 onto which itimpinges. The contact material may be the same material as the bracketor be a softer attachable/replaceable part such as the O-ring 24. Asmall pad, textile or felt or other material may be used depending onthe damping characteristics required for a particular application ofthis technology. Lubricants may be applied to the contact material ifrequired. The rubber contact material 24 is fitted between the roof 21and the free end 18.

The damper may be installed or utilised without regard for whichcomponents of the damper are associated with the mirror or frameassemblies. That is the bracket or boss may be fastened to or affixed toor formed into or part of either assembly, as required.

Further, a spring 20 is received by and fitted between a first,cantilevered roof or spring mounting element 21 located adjacent to thefree end 18 and the one or more spring mounting elements 28,29 locatedopposite the first and near or on a base area of the bracket 15 or onthe mounting portion 16.

Each damper 13 further comprises a boss 22 that cooperates with thebracket 15. The material of the boss may be tailored to a particularapplication of the technology, particularly with regard to theco-efficient of friction of the contact surface of the boss. The boss 22can be integral with or mounted onto the frame 12. In this embodimentthe boss 22 is screwed onto the frame 12. Each boss further has acentral curved ramp (or “ramped face”) 23. This ramp 23 is preferablycurved across its width 33 and also along its length 34, with the resultthat the ramp 23 is generally convex. This configuration accommodatesthe mirror's vibrations in various directions. The curvature of the ramp23 may vary, depending on factors such as the size of the mirror and theamount of vibration the damper is designed to handle. In the preferredembodiment, the curved ramp 19 corresponds to an arc of an imaginarycircle if curved in one plane, or two planes (e.g. a section of asphere) if a complex curve is used.

As shown in FIG. 2, the bracket 15 and the boss 22 for each damper 13are slightly offset from each other when the mirror 11 and the frame 12are assembled. The free end 18 of the bracket 15 comes into contact withthe ramped face 23 when the travel of the bracket, because of the actionof the motor or actuator etc. is enough to unseat the contact material24 from the boss. In particular, the free end 18 has a preferably curvedramp contact surface 25 for contacting, when required, the ramped face23. A groove 26 is formed below the ramp contact 25. The polymer contactmaterial 24 is preferably secured within this groove 26. In thisembodiment the groove is a circumferential groove located adjacent tothe free end 18 of the bracket, and the rubber contact material 24 is anO-ring. As the mirror 11 vibrates the rubber contact material 24contacts and rides on the ramped face 23. The friction between the softpolymer of the contact material 24 and the ramped face 23 dampens thevibration of the mirror.

In this embodiment, the cantilevered roof 21 is provided such that itsorientation is approximately perpendicular to the ramped face 23 whenthe damper 13 is assembled. A first spring locating or mounting element27 extends away from the roof 21 and toward the mounting portion 16 ofthe bracket 15. It receives one end of the spring. A second and a thirdspring mounting elements 28, 29 are located adjacent to one another onthe mounting portion 16 and extend generally toward the roof 21 andmounting element 27. The second and third spring mounting elements arepositioned adjacent to each other and each can, in turn, receive anopposite end of the spring, as required. The second and third springmountings 28, 29 are both angled, to different degrees, toward theramped face 23. A resilient member such as the coil spring 20 can befitted between the first and second mounting elements 27, 28 (see FIGS.2 and 3) and take a first position. The resilient member or metal coilspring 20 can alternatively and optionally be fitted between the firstand third spring mounting elements 27, 29 and take a second position(see FIG. 4). Depending on its position, the spring 20 is tensioneddifferently and is angled differently with respect to the ramped face23. A different damping force is achieved by tensioning the spring 20differently. The spring 20 is therefore adjustable for the damper tohandle different tensions. Different springs may be used depending onthe vibration characteristics of the mirror. A range of other resilientmaterials with shape memory may be used in place of the coil spring.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the free end 18 may include a hook-like endso that the free end 18 may be easier to flex with a human finger ortool, so as to enable easier insertion or removal of the spring 20. Inthe present example the upright member 17 is like a flexible beam thatis bendable to afford flexibility to the structure. An outer 30 and aninner portion or membrane 31 of the upright member 17 meet each other ata neck location 32 adjacent to the roof 21. The bracket 15 may be flexedat a narrowing or relief area between the upright member and the base ofthe upright member so that the spring 20 can be inserted or removed. Insome embodiments, there may further be an arched, flexible reinforcingbow 35 that is connected between the base area the bracket 15 and theroof area so that it is located “across” the opposite ends of the spring20 or other resilient bias or material.

The vibration of the mirror 11 causes the spring 20 to exert forcesagainst the free end 18, thereby causing the free end 18, and in thenormal range of mirror travel, the rubber contact material 24, to rubagainst the ramped face 23. Therefore, the vibration that is translatedto the frame 12 is reduced. This in turn helps reduce the vibrationtranslated to components carried by the frame 12.

While the present invention has been disclosed with reference toparticular details of construction, these should be understood as havingbeen provided by way of example and not as limitations to the scope orspirit of the invention.

1. A damper for a mirror assembly, comprising: a flexible bracket and aboss; the bracket and boss being locatable between the mirror assemblyand a frame assembly for the mirror; the bracket comprising a beamhaving a free end and a base area, the free end having a first amounting element and the base area having a second mounting element; thebracket further comprising a contact material that impinges on the boss;a resilient member extending between the first and the second mountingelements.
 2. The damper of claim 1, wherein: the contact material is apolymer that is softer than the material from which the bracket is made.3. The damper of claim 2, wherein: the contact material is an O-ring. 4.The damper of claim 1, wherein: the bracket further comprises a thirdmounting element, the second and third mounting elements each adapted toreceive an end of the resilient member while an opposite end of theresilient member is received by the first mounting element.
 5. Thedamper of claim 4, wherein: the resilient member is a coil spring. 6.The damper of claim 1, wherein: the boss comprises a ramped face that isridden by the contact material.
 7. The damper of claim 6, wherein: theramped face is curved.
 8. The damper of claim 7, wherein: the rampedface is curved in two planes.
 9. The damper of claim 1, wherein: thebracket and the boss are each separate parts that can be attached to themirror assembly or the frame assembly as required.
 10. A rear viewmirror for a vehicle comprising one or more of the dampers disclosed inclaim
 1. 11. The damper of claim 4, wherein: the contact material is apolymer that is softer than the material from which the bracket is made.12. The damper of claim 4, wherein: the boss comprises a ramped facethat is ridden by the contact material.
 13. The damper of claim 12,wherein: the ramped face is curved.
 14. The damper of claim 4, wherein:the bracket and the boss are each separate parts that can be attached tothe mirror assembly or the frame assembly as required.
 15. The damper ofclaim 6, wherein: the bracket and the boss are each separate parts thatcan be attached to the mirror assembly or the frame assembly asrequired.
 16. The damper of claim 15, wherein: the ramped face is curvedin two planes.
 17. The damper of claim 12, wherein: the contact materialis a polymer that is softer than the material from which the bracket ismade.
 18. The damper of claim 12, wherein: the bracket and the boss areeach separate parts that can be attached to the mirror assembly or theframe assembly as required.
 19. The damper of claim 1, wherein: thecontact material is a polymer that is softer than the material fromwhich the bracket is made; the bracket further comprises a thirdmounting element, the second and third mounting elements each adapted toreceive an end of the resilient member while an opposite end of theresilient member is received by the first mounting element; the bosscomprises a ramped face that is ridden by the contact material; and thebracket and the boss are each separate parts that can be attached to themirror assembly or the frame assembly as required.
 20. A rear viewmirror for a vehicle comprising one or more of the dampers disclosed inclaim 19.